


Long Way From the Playground

by NarryEm



Series: One Direction Erotica/Fluff-fest/Wangst as written by EmilyY [62]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Eventual Romance, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Mild Sexual Content, Mild Smut, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-20
Updated: 2014-12-20
Packaged: 2018-03-02 02:40:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,443
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2796653
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NarryEm/pseuds/NarryEm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry’s family moves to Mullingar and Harry feels so alone in the new, unfamiliar lands. Luckily, a brown-haired, crooked-teethed kid named Niall seems interested in his ‘weird’ accent.  Fast forward several years and they are a couple of best mates sharing a flat.  There also may or may not be undisclosed feelings residing amongst them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Long Way From the Playground

**Author's Note:**

> Title from 18 by One Direction. I wrote half the story in my head when first listened to this little gem. OMG, not gonna lie, I had high hopes for this song because I saw that Ed Sheeran and Oliver Frank (don’t really know who that is) wrote it and yup, Ed’s gone and done it again. Ripped my heart clean out of my chest with the feels.
> 
> This started out as a growing up AU but then I decided to not follow through and came up with a different storyline.

 

Harry looks around the crowded playground. His family had to move to Ireland last week for his dad’s business stuff and it’s so cold here. And the kids here have already noticed his ‘weird, posh, English accent’ and make fun of him for it. He doesn’t understand why no one wants to talk to him when he’s got a Spiderman lunchbox!

“Hey!” a loud cheery voice sounds from behind him. Harry startles and manages to stumble off the bench he’s been sitting on. He twists his body around to look at the owner of the voice. “Sorry! Didn’ mean t’ scare ya!”

It’s a boy about his age with brown hair and really blue eyes. Harry likes him. He seems friendly and frankly the only one who has spoken to him without being prompted by the teacher.

“’M Harry,” he introduces himself.

“Cool! Why aren’t ya playing with the rest of your class?”

Harry pouts. “They made fun of my accent. Don’t reckon people really like Brits here.”

“That’s nonsense,” Niall grimaces. “I think your accent’s cool, Harry. C’mon, go on the jungle gym with me!”

Harry doesn’t really get a choice as Niall is tugging on his hand. “Okay. But gotta catch me first!” He sprints off in the direction of the jungle gym. And since he has a rotten luck and happens to be the clumsiest boy in the whole of Ireland, he fails to see the ledge separating the playground from the rest of the park and trips over it. He falls smack onto the ground and it hurts so much! Tears pool in his eyes and he sniffles and blinks hard as he tries his hardest not to cry.

“Harry, ya okay?” Niall asks, kneeling down on the ground next to him. “Okay, stupid question. Wait here and I’ll go get the teacher.”

“No!” Harry blurts out without thinking. “Can you stay with me? I-I don’t like . . .”

Niall nods in understanding. “I’ll tell someone else to do it for me then.”

True to his word, Niall yells across the playground and asks for anyone to call for a teacher. And since Niall is pretty popular amongst the kids, everybody is clamouring to do him a favour.

 

 

Ten minutes later, Harry is sitting inside his classroom with giant plasters over both of his knees. It wasn’t actually that bad according to his teacher but it surely hurt worse than it looked. Niall has stayed by his side the entire time and kept Harry distracted with his random ramblings. Harry has learnt that Niall has an older brother who is six years older than him and lived near Harry’s house.

“You should come over to mine after school,” Harry suggest, biting on his lower lip as soon as the words get out.

“That’s ace! I’ll meet you in from of your classroom then?”

“Great.”

And that’s how Harry’s friendship with his best mate began.

 

 

-

 

 

Fast forward several years and Harry is yelling at the bathroom door. Again.

“Niall, I’ve begged you a million times not to take showers in the morning when I’ve eight a.m.’s!” Harry whines. “Now I’m gonna have to go to a lecture about social justice smelling like Sunday night and a bit like cat food.”

He grits his teeth when Niall laughs loudly, the sound not at all dampened by the water or the distance between them. “Sorry, sorry. I needed to get the smell of Sunday off of me too,” Niall calls out. “I’ll bring you homemade lunch after your sociology?”

And just like that, Harry’s annoyance dissipates. “Fine. Hope you can remember my favourite sarnie, then.”

Deciding to share a tiny two-bedroom flat with Niall has been simultaneously the best and worst decision that Harry has made so far in his life. After having lived literally a street across from each other for the majority of their lives, going to the same university (because it offered great programmes for both of their academic interests) seems nothing short of natural and almost expected. In fact, they didn’t even have to discuss sharing a flat before accepting the offers since they had literally grown up fantasising about living together once they were adults out in the world to conquer it.

But like many other things in life, living with Niall turned out to not be so flawless. Niall is carefree by nature, which extends to him easily forgetting the minor ground rules that he and Harry have agreed upon. Harry is only annoyed every time Niall goes against them; he doesn’t really do ‘angry’ anyway. It also helps that Niall is sincerely apologetic every time that happens and always makes up for his transgressions with small acts of kindness. This little system has worked perfectly fine for the past four years and Harry wouldn’t dare change it for anything.

“Shit,” he mutters when he looks down at his mobile and sees that he’s got thirty minutes to go to his lecture. Luckily, their flat is a ten-minute walk away from the campus. Harry pulls on the first set of fresh clothes he can find and douses himself with cologne. Knowing that the bathroom door will be unlocked, he strides in the room so that he can at least brush his teeth.

“Fucking hell!” Niall exclaims as he gets out of the shower. He is starkers and doesn’t have the decency to cover himself up or even blush. It’s Harry who blushes and looks away. “Ever heard of this notion called knocking?” Niall smirks.

“Sorry, I’m in a hurry and I thought you were taking one of your long, thoughtful showers,” Harry retorts. He starts brushing his teeth so that he doesn’t have to talk. From the corner of his eyes, he sees Niall wrap a towel around his waist and walk out the door.

Okay, so he just saw his best friend naked. It’s not for the first time, not with Niall’s knack for leaving door unlocked when he showers or gets dressed. But it’s the first time that it’s made Harry’s heart race like this. Harry shakes his head. It must be because he is in a rush to get to class.

 

 

-

 

 

“Could you please stop doing that? It’s uncanny and it weirds me out,” Louis points out.

Harry is brought to his senses and realises that he’s been staring at the tip of Louis’ left ear for the past few minutes. In his defence, it’s a lovely day in May and warm and sunny for once. And there is nothing wrong about being a daydreamer, is there? With his first year of university over, Harry has been spending a lot of time with his mates. Niall was supposed to come along as well but he was asked by his boss last minute to take a different shift at his part-time job. Harry wishes that Niall could have made it to buffer Louis’ antics with his own craziness.

“ _I_ weird _you_ out?” he asks. Zayn and Liam snicker off to the side. “I’ve been mentally scarred by all the sexcapade stories you have overshared with me! I never needed to know all the details about what you and Zayn get up to in your spare time. And Zayn,” he turns to glare at the lad, “you don’t have to provide extra details either.”

“At least you didn’t suffer through living in the same flat with them for eight months,” Liam quips. “I had to stay at my girlfriend’s for more than half the time after these idiots finally realised their love for each other.”

Zayn puts on a sympathetic face and ruffles up Liam’s hair. “And now you’ve gone and moved out to live with your one true love. All’s right in the world.”

“Thanks for being so inclusive,” Harry grumbles. Whilst he isn’t one of those people who need to be in a relationship to be happy, he _is_ people person. He likes being around others and yeah, he misses having someone to hold and love.

Louis groans. “You are so stupid at times, Harry. Why can’t you see that the love of _your_ life is literally right under your nose? Like go ask—” Zayn covers Louis mouth with a hand and then shakes his head firmly. Louis predictably licks at Zayn’s mouth and Zayn pulls his hand away with a sigh.

“You ruin my fun,” Louis accuses.

“It’s not your secret to tell, Louis,” Zayn says cryptically.

“What secret?” Harry asks. “Is this another prank of yours? Liam, if you’re my best friend, please tell me what these two wankers are up to.”

“Sadly, I don’t think I’m in any position to tell you,” Liam says and then purses his lips as he ponders the issue. “Just open your eyes and maybe you’ll see.”

Harry pouts. “You lot make great friends.”

Liam smiles apologetically. “It is for your own good, trust us.”

 

 

-

 

 

A few weeks after that particular little chat, Harry, Niall and the rest of the gang are out at a club for a lads’ night out. Harry made Zayn and Louis promise that they won’t cat all couple-y and gross. Liam has volunteered to go and get them pints, which gives Louis the perfect opportunity to tease Niall and Harry.

“When are you two lads gonna find love?” Louis asks. Zayn seems to catch on to whatever quickly and only raises an eyebrow. “I know you’ve both gone out on dates and stuff but nothing juicy has happened during the time I’ve known ya! Unless,” Louis pauses for effect. “You two or both dating someone in secret?”

Harry blushes and a quick look to his right confirms his suspicions that Niall is scowling at Louis. “Shut it,” Niall grumbles. “I dunno what the fuck you’re implying but I’m not dating anyone right now. Don’t really feel like it.” Niall looks to Harry. “How ‘bout you, Haz? Anyone special in your life that you never told me about?”

“Sorry, but no. If there was, you know you’ll be the first to know.” Harry brings Niall in for a side-hug.

“Of course you would,” Louis comments snidely. “And that won’t be because—” This time it’s Liam who silences Louis by shoving a pint in front of his face.

“Louis, just drop it,” Liam chides him. He passes the pints around and they are clink their glasses together.

“Fun police,” Louis whines, “both of you. At least Zayn makes up for it with crazy hot sex. What have you got, Payno?” Louis winks suggestively.

“I’m just glad that Sophia understands that most of my mates are insane,” Liam mutters darkly and everyone else laughs.

 

 

Hours pass by and Harry hasn’t a clue what the actual time is. He could check his mobile but it has been stolen away by Louis who is probably up to no good as per usual. He tries to get it back but his hands are clumsier and they don’t seem to be working well because he should be able to snatch his mobile back from Louis’ hands with no problem, what with the height advantage and all.

“I think it’s time for dear old Harold to go home,” Zayn smirks.

“No,” Harry protests. He does a small sweep with his hands and nearly knocks over all the empty glasses on the table.

“Yeah. I’ll go home with him,” Niall volunteers. “Aren’t you glad to have an amazing friend like me?” Niall teases. Harry can tell from Niall’s rosy cheeks that he is pretty pissed as well.

“Whatever helps you sleep at night,” he mumbles.

They call up a cab and the drive home is mostly silent. Harry must have dosed off because the next thing he knows, he is sort of being carried into his and Niall’s flat.

“Why didn’t you wake me up?” Harry inquires. He squirms in Niall’s arms and Niall sets him on his feet immediately.

“’Cause you looked like you could’ve used some sleep,” Niall answers with a shrug.

“Rude,” Harry pouts. Niall laughs and guides him to his room.

It’s a bit embarrassing when Niall stays and helps him undress, even more so when Niall brings him a glass of water and orders him to drink all of it before going to sleep.

“Good night,” Niall murmurs. Harry’s eyes are already half-closed and he can’t be bothered to open them as he mumbles, “Night, Nialler.”

But he does open his eyes when he feels something warm and soft brush against his lips. All he can see is Niall’s eyes and the panicked look in those blue, blue eyes. Niall kisses his cheek before he bolts up and runs out of the room.

Harry wants to call out to Niall and him what’s just happened; hell, he knows that it’s the logical choice. However, he is tired and drunk and thinking clearly is not on the top of his priorities.

So he just sleeps, promising himself that he’ll ask Niall about what just happened first thing tomorrow.

 

 

-

 

 

When Harry wakes up, it’s because there is loud noise coming from the kitchen. As curious as he is, his bladder is about to burst and his mouth feels and tastes foul so he takes care of that first in the bathroom before he ventures out into the kitchen.

“Niall?” he calls out when he sees his friend bustling about in the kitchen. It looks like he was in the middle of an impromptu tidying-up, which both of them tend to neglect until the very last moment and agree that the kitchen isn’t safe for people to live in anymore.

“M-morning,” Niall stutters. “Want a fry-up?”

Harry frowns. He knows that Niall wants to avoid talking about what happened last night. “Can you please cut the crap and just tell me what happened? Why’d you almost kiss me, Niall?” He strides up to Niall, stood practically toe to toe.

Niall doesn’t say anything as he stares at Harry blankly. Seconds tick by and with each second that passes by, the uncertainty in Harry’s heart grows.

“I’ve known that I love you since we were eighteen” Niall blurts out.  He then curses loudly as his entire face tints red. “Shit, this is the worst possible scenario! I was supposed to tell you when the time was right and all that shit, _not_ after I tried to kiss you whilst we were both drunk. Crap, erm, okay. Please, all you have to do is stay and listen.” Niall slowly reaches out with his hand and interlocks his hand with Harry’s. Harry can’t leave because he wants to hear Niall out, and he doesn’t have any desire to leave Niall.

“To me, you were always a little brother I never had but it gradually changed as we grew up. You changed from this dimpled cherubic kid to a curly haired Adonis that all the girls and even some of the blokes fell for. I thought it was weird and awkward that I was starting to feel these things for you ‘cause no one in school ever teaches you that it’s okay for blokes to fancy blokes and for girls to fancy girls. I’ve wanted to hold your hand like this for ages,” Niall raises their interlocked hands, fingers laced together and gripped tight as though Niall is afraid that Harry will let him go. (He never will.) “I’ve yearned to touch you like this since that time you first kissed me on the cheek whilst bladdered outta your mind at our first house party,” Niall brings his free hand up to lightly caress Harry’s cheekbone with his fingertips, his tough feather-light and fleeting as though Harry were a porcelain doll that Niall was afraid of breaking. “And I’ve needed to kiss you like this for too long.”

Niall leans in but their lips never touch. Niall’s words echo in Harry’s mind and he realises that Niall is giving Harry a choice here. Harry can choose to either accept Niall’s feelings for him or reject them.

And Harry sees it now that he must have been a fool not to have known that he loves Niall too.

So he meets Niall’s lips with his own; it’s unfamiliar yet it feels so right. It’s almost like their entire lives had built up to this perfect moment. The world seems to have frozen and time stood still for them. Their lips move in a perfect rhythm as though this isn’t their first real kiss, one filled with all the love and passion that they have been afraid to admit to themselves. Niall stops kissing and Harry panics, scared that he’s done something wrong. But that’s not it. Niall slowly loosens his fingers from Harry’s so that he can wrap his arms around Harry. Then he says, his lips still touching Harry, “I think these arms were made for holding you; you fit in my arms seamlessly, like you belong here.”

Harry sniffles, the waterworks threatening to come in anytime now. “Sap. Don’t—don’t say stuff like that.”

Niall skims one of his hands up Harry’s side until it is pressed to Harry’s cheeks. Harry’s gaze follows Niall’s other hand keeps its hold on Harry’s hand as it moves over to press against where Harry’s heart is racing.

“I want this, I want _us_ , Harry,” Niall says, voice breaking slightly. “I know we’re taking a chance, but I know that we’ll be fine. I believe that I’ve got a soul as well as a heart that beats so wildly whenever I’m near you, hear your voice over the phone, or even when I’m thinking about you. And will use them both when it comes to you because now, you have become my everything. Harry I—”

Harry cuts him off by lifting his head to kiss Niall. Niall moans into the kiss, one hand still pressed against Harry’s heart.

Things heat up quickly from there. They make their way into Niall’s bedroom and start kissing and kissing _and kissing_ until they need more than just the taste of each other’s kisses. Soon, Niall is pulling Harry’s shirt over his head impatiently and then pulling his joggers down.

“Can we?” Niall asks, uncertainty flashing across his deep blue eyes. “There’s no goin’ back if we go past this and—” Harry shushes him with an impatient kiss.

“Of course we can,” Harry smiles. “After all that time when what I’ve wanted and needed was right beside me, I’m surprised you actually thought to ask me.”

Niall’s cheeks flame up. “It’s called common courtesy, ya knob!”

“I know. And I love you for it amongst countless other reasons.”

Niall indulges Harry with a long, sultry kiss before he scoots down so that his head is level with Harry’s crotch and before Harry can have time to be embarrassed over that fact, Niall encloses his mouth around Harry’s boxer-covered cock that’s gotten half-hard from snogging. He sucks on it until the front of the boxers are damp with both his saliva and Harry’s precum.

“Fucking tease,” Harry accuses.

“Oh, just wait until you see what’s in store for ya,” Niall smirks.

 

 

-

 

 

Harry doesn’t know how much time has passed. Probably quite a long time judging by the way that his stomach is growling. But he can ignore for a little while longer because he is just happy to be cuddled up to Niall like he is right now.

“I still can’t believe that I never noticed that I loved you more than as a friend,” Harry complains as he buries his face into Niall’s shoulder.

“You can be quite clueless sometimes. I thought I was being obvious, to be honest. I mean, all of our friends have known it since before _I_ realised it myself.” Niall chuckles when Harry lifts his head up to glare at him.

“Remind me why I love you,” Harry mutters, trying his hardest to maintain his angry face. But that’s pretty much impossible when Niall tightens his arms around Harry and Harry’s own mirror Niall’s actions automatically. Niall then kisses him on the lips for a brief moment. Niall arches an eyebrow as if to ask, ‘well?’ and Harry sighs. “You are too irresistible,” Harry pouts.

Niall laughs. Harry smiles and simply listens Niall’s laughter. He has always loved to hear Niall laugh and to make Niall laugh. He rolls them over so that he is somewhat straddling Niall. Niall raises his hands to press them to Harry’s cheeks.

“We are a long way from the playground, aren’t we?” Niall murmurs, his left thumb caressing Harry’s cheekbone absentmindedly.

Harry smiles. “Yeah, I suppose. I love you, Niall.”

Niall beams. “And I love you, Harry.”

**Author's Note:**

> I feel like the last third was rushed but then again, I decided to finish this up during a study break.


End file.
